WTS Recommended Reading

Home about select_seminary recommend_reading

Below youll find a list of books that our

faculty, administration and alumni
recommend to those who are interested
in Westminster and those who are
entering as Westminster students. It is
by no means exhaustive and is by no
means required before enrollment, but
you may find these books to be a good
warm up for your Westminster
education.

A number of these books are required for classes, and generally weve
listed the books that are easier to read at the top in each category. The
titles are arranged according to the categories of Westminster classes,
so it is also a fair representation of the kind of literature you will be
reading for your respective classes. You will also be expected to write a
great deal for your classes, so at the end of the list we have included
books on research and writing most often recommend by professors.
When possible, the books are linked to where you can purchase them
through the Westminster Bookstore. Blessings on your preparation
for Westminster and enjoy your reading!
Jared Oliphint, 05
Regional Coordinator for Recruitment, Alumni Relations, and
Development
Greek Hebrew Apologetics Old Testament New Testament
Biblical Theology and Hermeneutics Church History
Systematic Theology Practical Theology
Greek
o Machen, J. Gresham and Dan G. McCartney. New Testament Greek
for Beginners. Prentice Hall, 2003.

o Mounce, William D. Basics of Biblical Greek: Grammar. Grand

Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003.
o Wallace, Daniel B. Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics. Grand
Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996.
o Silva, Moises. Biblical Greek and Reformed Textual Criticism?

Hebrew
o Weingreen, Jacob. A Practical Grammar for Classical Hebrew.
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1959.

o Arnold, Bill T. and John Choi. Guide to Biblical Hebrew Syntax.

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003.
o Waltke, Bruce. An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax.
Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1990.
Apologetics
o Oliphint, K. Scott. The Battle Belongs to the Lord. Phillipsburg,
New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 2003.

o Edgar, William. Reasons of the Heart. Grand Rapids, Michigan:

Baker Book House, 1996.
o Keller, Timothy. The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of
Skepticism. New York: Dutton, 2008.
o Bahnsen, Greg L. Van Til's Apologetic. Phillipsburg, New Jersey:
Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1998.
o Machen, J. Gresham. Christianity and Liberalism. Grand Rapids,
Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009.
o Poythress, Vern S. Redeeming Science. Wheaton, IL: Crossway,
2006.
o Edgar, William and K. Scott Oliphint. Christian Apologetics: Past
and Present. Vol. 1. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2009.
o Edgar, William and K. Scott Oliphint. Christian Apologetics: Past
and Present. Vol. 2. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2011.
o Bradley, Anthony. Liberating Black Theology. Wheaton, IL:
Crossway, 2010.
o Van Til, Cornelius. The Defense of the Faith. Phillipsburg, New
Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 2008.
o Oliphint, K. Scott, and Lane G. Tipton, (eds.) Revelation and
Reason. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed
Publishing Company, 2007.
o Oliphint, K. Scott. Reasons for Faith: Philosophy in the Service of
Theology. Phillipsburg, N. J.: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing
Company, 2006.

Old Testament

o Dillard, Raymond B. and Tremper Longman, III.

An Introduction to the Old Testament. Grand
Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006.
o Waltke, Bruce K., and Charles Yu. An Old
Testament Theology: A Canonical and
Thematic Approach. Zondervan, 2006.
o Longman, Tremper III. How to Read the
Psalms. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press,
1988.
o Silva, Moises and Karen Jobes. Invitation to
the Septuagint. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2005
o Armerding, Carl E. The Old Testament and Criticism. Spring Arbor
Distributors.
o Young, E.J. The Authority of the Old Testament. In The Infallible
Word, Edited by Stonehouse, N.B., and Paul Wooley, 55-91.
Phillipsburg, N. J.: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co, 2002.
o Kline, Meredith G. Kingdom Prologue. Overland Park, KS: Two Age
Press, 2000.
o Kline, Meredith G. Images of the Spirit. Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Baker Book House, 1980.
o Vos, Geerhardus. The Eschatology of the Old Testament.
Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2001.
New Testament
o Guthrie, Donald. New Testament Introduction. Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity, 1990.

o Barrett, C.K. The New Testament Background. New York:

HarperOne, 1995.
o Metzger, Bruce M. The Text of the New Testament. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2005.
o Stonehouse, N.B. The Authority of the New Testament In The
Infallible Word, Edited by Stonehouse, N.B., and Paul Wooley, 92-140.
Phillipsburg, N. J.: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co, 2002.
o Gaffin, Richard B. Perspectives on Pentecost. Phillipsburg, New
Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1979.
o Strimple, Robert B. The Modern Search for the Real Jesus.
Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1995.

o Ridderbos, Herman. Redemptive History and the New Testament

Scriptures. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1988.
o Ridderbos, Herman. The Coming of the Kingdom. Phillipsburg, NJ:
P&R Publishing, 1962.
o Vos, Geerhardus. The Self-Disclosure of Jesus: The Modern
Debate About the Messianic Consciousness. Phillipsburg, NJ:
Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 2002.
o Ridderbos, Herman. Paul: An Outline of His Theology. Grand
Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1997.
o Vos, Geerhardus. Pauline Eschatology. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian
and Reformed Publishing, 1994.
Biblical Theology and Hermeneutics
o Poythress, Vern. God-Centered Biblical Interpretation.
Phillipsburg, N. J.: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1999.

o Silva, Moises, The Case for Calvinistic Hermeneutics. In Revelation

and Reason, edited by K. Scott Oliphint and Lane G. Tipton, 74-94.
Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing
Company, 2007.
o Vos, Geerhardus. Biblical Theology. Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth,
2000.
o Silva, Moises, Ed. Foundations of Contemporary Interpretation.
Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996.
o McCartney, Dan and Charles Clayton. Let the Reader Understand.
Phillipsburg, N. J.: Presbyterian and Reformed, 2002.
o Conn, Harvie. Inerrancy and Hermeneutic. Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker, 1988.
o Beale, G.K. The Erosion of Inerrancy in Evangelicalism. Wheaton,
IL: Crossway, 2008.
o Silva, Moises. Biblical Words and Their Meaning: An
Introduction to Lexical Semantics. Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Zondervan Publishing House, 1983.
o Beale, G.K. The Temple and the Church's Mission. Downers
Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2004.
o Poythress, Vern. The Shadow of Christ in the Law of Moses.
Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing
Company, 1995.

o Vos, Geerhardus. The Teaching of Jesus Concerning the

Kingdom of God and the Church. New York: American Tract Society,
1903.
o Nichols, Stephen J. and Eric T. Brandt. Ancient Word, Changing
Worlds. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2009.
o Beale, G.K. A New Testament Biblical Theology. Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker, 2011.
Church History
o Hastings, Adrian. A World History of Christianity. Grand Rapids,
Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2000.

o Chadwick, Henry. The Early Church. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1993.

o Pelikan, Jaroslav. The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition.
Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1975.
o Lindberg, Carter. The Reformation Theologians. Wiley-Blackwell,
2002.
o Plancher, William C. Readings in the History of Christian
Theology. Richmond: Westminster John Knox Press, 1988.
o Muller, Richard A. Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics : The
Rise and Development of Reformed Orthodoxy. Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Baker Book House, 2003.
o Ahlstrom, Sydney E. A Religious History of the American People.
New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004.
o Nichols, Stephen. J. J. Gresham Machen: A Guided Tour of His
Life and Thought. Philipsburg, N.J.: Presbyterian and Reformed
Publishing Company, 2004.
o Trueman, Carl. John Owen. Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2007.
Systematic Theology
o Ferguson, Sinclair. The Christian Life. Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth,
1981.

o Van Til, Cornelius. An Introduction to Systematic Theology.

Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 2007.
o Oliphint, K. Scott, ed. Justified in Christ: God's Plan for Us in
Justification. UK: Christian Focus Publications, 2007.
o Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion. Translated by
Ford Lewis Battles. Edited by John T. McNeill. The Library of Christian
Classics. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960.
o Turretin, Francis. Institutes of Elenctic Theology. Translated by
George Musgrave Giger. Edited by Jr James T. Dennison. 3 vols.

Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing

Company, 1994.
o Bavinck, Herman. Reformed Dogmatics. Translated by John Vriend.
Edited by John Bolt. Vols. 1-4, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic,
2003.
o Warfield, B.B. The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible.
Philadelphia, Pa.: Presbyterian and Reformed Pub. Co, 1948.
o Murray, John. Collected Writings of John Murray, Vols. 1-4. The
Banner of Truth Trust, 1977.
o Oliphint, Scott. God With Us. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2011.
o Hall, David and Peter Lillback, eds. A Theological Guide to Calvin's
Institutes: Essays and Analysis. Philipsburg, N.J.: Presbyterian and
Reformed Publishing Company, 2008.
o Tipton, Lane and Jeff Waddington, eds. Resurrection and
Eschatology: Theology In Service of the Church, Essays in
Honor of Richard B. Gaffin. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and
Reformed Publishing, 2008.
o Hagopian, David, Ed. The Genesis Debate. Mission Viejo, CA: Crux
Press, 2000.
o Gaffin, Richard B. Resurrection and Redemption. Phillipsburg, NJ:
Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 1987.
o Ferguson, Sinclair. The Holy Spirit. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity,
1997.
o Darrel L. Bock, ed. Three Views on the Millennium and Beyond.
Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1999.
o Young, E.J. Thy Word is Truth. Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1963.
o Gaffin, Richard B. Gods Word in Servant Form: Abraham Kuyper
and Herman Bavinck and the Doctrine of Scripture. Jackson, MS:
Reformed Academic Press, 2008.
Practical Theology
o Clowney, Edmund P. Called to the Ministry. Phillipsburg, NJ:
Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 1976.

o Warfield, B.B. The Religious Life of Theological Students.

Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing.
o Powlison, David. The Biblical Counseling Movement. Greensboro,
NC: New Growth Press, 2010.

o Tripp, Paul. Age of Opportunity. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and

Reformed Publishing, 2001.
o Powlison, David. Seeing With New Eyes. Phillipsburg, NJ:
Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 2003.
o Welch, Ed. Addictions A Banquet in the Grave. Phillipsburg, NJ:
Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 2001.
o Tripp, Paul. Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands. Phillipsburg,
NJ: P&R Publishing, 2002.
o Miller, John. A Faith Worth Sharing. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian
and Reformed Publishing, 1999.
o Logan, Samuel T., ed. The Preacher and Preaching. Phillipsburg,
NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 1996.
o Welch, Ed. When People Are Big and God is Small. Phillipsburg,
NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 1997.
o Conn, Harvie and Manuel Ortiz. Urban Ministry. Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity, 2001.
o Lane, Tim and Paul Tripp. How People Change. Greensboro, NC:
New Growth Press, 2008.
o Conn, Harvie. Eternal Word and Changing Worlds. Phillipsburg, NJ:
Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 1992.
o Welch, Ed. Blame It On the Brain. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and
Reformed Publishing, 1998.
Research and Writing

Adler, Mortimer J., and Charles Van

Doran. How to Read a Book: The
Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading.
Revised edition. New York: Touchstone,
1972.
Badke, William B. Research Strategies:
Finding Your Way through the
Information Fog. 2nd ed. iUniverse, Inc,
2004.
Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers,
Theses, and Dissertations. 7th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago
Press, 2007. (Note the excellent discussion of research writing, new to
this edition)
Strunk, William, Jr., and E. B. White. The Elements of Style. 4th ed.

New York: Allyn & Bacon, 2000.

Kane, Thomas S. The Oxford Essential Guide to Writing. New York:
Berkley Books, 1988.
Zinsser, William. On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing
Nonfiction. 30th anniversary ed. New York: Harper Collins, 2006.
Williams, Joseph M. Style: Toward Clarity and Grace. Chicago:
University of Chicago Press, 1990.
Orwell, George. Politics and the English Language. Shooting an
Elephant and Other Essays. London: Secker and Warburg, 1950.
Reading classic literature and literary essays can help you learn to write
more clearly, cogently, and beautifully. Contact a faculty member or the
Center for Theological Writing for suggestions.